Norfolk City Council, Office of City Council, and Mayor Paul D. Fraim: Ban the use of bullhooks in the city of Norfolk, Va.

The bullhook is a lethal weapon resembling a fireplace poker. It is used on elephants by circus trainers to control and punish them. It is barbaric and should be stopped.

Letter to

Office of City CouncilNorfolk City Council

Mayor of Norfolk, Va.Mayor Paul D.Fraim

I am writing to you on behalf of circus elephants who are abused with bullhooks.

A bullhook has only two uses, to inflict pain and induce fear. The bullhook resembles a fireplace poker (a rod with a sharp metal hook). Its purpose is to painfully jab elephants in sensitive spots such as behind their ears, around the eyes, feet, anus and vagina in order to make them perform tricks that are otherwise unnatural to them. Circuses such as Ringling Bros. and Clyde Beatty-Cole Bros. use bullhooks to control the elephants used in their performances. Bullhook training by such groups starts out in early adolescence to break the elephant’s spirit (as seen in this image) soon after being torn away from their mothers. When elephants do not comply with trainers they are severely punished with the bullhook. Circus elephants have scars and open wounds from being struck repeatedly with great force from trainers using bullhooks. Without the bullhook trainers are unable to control elephants and if we are successful in getting the bullhook banned in Norfolk, Va. the circus will be unable to perform in Norfolk Va.. The loss of profits the circuses will face if they are unable to come to Norfolk Va. will get them to reconsider their standards for elephant care and elephants' place in the circus.

Please do not support this abuse by going to the circus and sign this petition so we can present it to the Norfolk city council. We need to get this barbaric form of abuse stopped. We urge the city council of Norfolk to completely ban the use of bullhooks in the city of Norfolk, Va.